(England) Okay, admit it.. Who here is a 'house watcher' while walking their dog?

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SweetiePeteetie@reddit

If the curtains are open and the blinds are up then that's an open invitation as far as I'm concerned!

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Serious-Big2@reddit

I've always thought this too, hence why our front curtains are closed.

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-----Galaxy-----@reddit

God forbid people want a bit of sunlight

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Pick_Up_Autist@reddit

They soon stop if you pull up a chair and get the popcorn out.

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soulsteela@reddit

Unless they are keen doggers who see you n jump In the car.🥳😜

For anyone not in the know Google “dogging in the U.K.”! That will answer your questions.

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SKAttyTrojan@reddit

On Saturday I was walking home at 3 am and saw a man sat in darkness watching on a wide-screen TV what I assume to be Forex/crypto trading charts

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SKAttyTrojan@reddit

I thought it was strange at the time but yeh, now I think about it, it kinda is

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Used to walk past a house which had two big dogs who were always sat on the sofa watching Stargate SG1. Sometimes a man sat on the floor near them, but mostly it was just the two dogs enjoying the show.

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doegrey@reddit

How close was your nose to the glass to be sure there wasn’t a chair out of sight from the window?

(Where’s a smushed nose to glass gif when you need one?)

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feebsiegee@reddit

That is amazing.

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morfn0@reddit

Watching to see if the team land on Sirius B?

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FantasticWeasel@reddit

Or just in Vancouver again?

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Jaggysnake84@reddit

Indeed

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TheOwnerOfAnarres@reddit

Those dogs were Goa'uld spies trying to see how much humanity knows already.

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Fair_Condition_1460@reddit

Why do I love this image? 🐶🍿 🐶 😂

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Mclarenrob2@reddit

Whenever I was a car passenger at night i always looked through windows trying to see what people were watching on their tv. Just to make sure that other humans do the same things as me 😅

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Crap___bag@reddit

We are forever looking at other people’s houses for inspiration. One of my favourite hobbies is criticising the design choices of homes that I can never afford lol

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Busy_Description6207@reddit

I love it, but not in a creepy way. I love seeing a little glimpse into the intimate mundane of other people's lives, it's like a little world beyond my own. Sometimes when I am on a train, and we pass by rows of houses in the evening and I catch fleeting squares of light passing the window, I think about how there are 8 billion moments happening simultaneously, and I could live a thousand years over and over and still never experience every life as they are happening right now.

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prickly_pink_penguin@reddit

Totally! Would be rude not to!

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Rev_Biscuit@reddit

YES!! Me and my mates would sneak into someone’s back garden at night and slowly approach an uncurtained window whilst chanting "We do beg your pardon, but we are in your garden". We would get closer and closer chanting, until the family noticed us. We had a name for it, came remember what it was now. "Shift and Thuggery" or something.

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Adnotamentum@reddit

What were your mates names?

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Rev_Biscuit@reddit

Neil Overall, Buttery Ken and Sniper's Nightmare (on account of him having one leg shorter than the other).

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bibipbapbap@reddit

Ah you know Gary Cheeseman too?

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bez_lightyear@reddit

Alright Bob?

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Intelligent_Bug_9456@reddit

I’m feeling really down today but that made me genuinely laugh out loud. Thank you.

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kylelanley@reddit

... you what?

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StunningLynx8795@reddit

This is where I’m the oddball I think. I actually don’t care what other people are doing whatsoever. Like, at all. I get told off the wife for never knowing what people are up to cos I don’t bother asking lol

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GroundFast7793@reddit

I'll look in quickly to check if i can see tits. I'm not interested in decor.

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feebsiegee@reddit

Omg you just reminded me of the time we were walking home from the pub, some bloke had his curtains wide open and was sat at the computer in his living room having a wank

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kevio17@reddit

I was just happy to have an audience.

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pffftnoway@reddit

I saw my next door neighbours tits. I was having a smoke outside and just randomly looked up at the window. Boom! There she was.

Good times.

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reo_reborn@reddit (OP)

lmao at least you're honest. I did this once when I was a teen (honestly accidently). I walked past a block of flats and a woman was hanging out washing on her balcony.. and i looked up smiled (as in hello type of way) and then noticed she was topless... She ran in.

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Snoo99075@reddit

🤣

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Genericc0ntent@reddit

'To stare is human', that's the expression, right?

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Logical_Buffalo7156@reddit

The person who used to live opposite us had a ginormous tv that was pointing at the window so I couldn’t help but see them losing their fortnight match Everytime I tried to look outside to see birds or whatever

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No_Cake6353@reddit

This is why I moved my living room upstairs. I couldn't stop making eye contact with strangers while I was trying to relax 😂

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Particular-Doctor888@reddit

Next time you pass my house you're going to see my bum

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FrankieTheD@reddit

Not while walking the dog but just in general when walking around I try to work out what people are watching, like geoguessing but off a few seconds of tv I glimpse while passing

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CurlCascade@reddit

Something to do as you walk the dog innit?

If you do catch the eye of the occupants looking back out, make sure to smile and wave.

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feebsiegee@reddit

My husband does this. We don't need to be walking either of our dogs. I'll only do it if something catches my eye, like a massive bright tele.

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pgnlzbth@reddit

Oh god yeah. I thought everyone did this?! Particularly fun in autumn when it starts getting darker earlier. I don’t have a dog, but just when out and about in general, I do this!

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Friendly_Database263@reddit

I don’t cause I don’t care enough. I do find it strange that people still have their curtains open late evening though. I assume they’re just as “nosey” to see what’s going on outside.

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HanAVFC@reddit

I do especially if you've got your lights on but the curtains/blinds open.

I live in a ground floor flat with a public footpath outside popular with dog walkers I put up a vinyal stainglassed effect thing which lets lots of light in but obseceures the view, and we never have the blind open with the lights on. I've gone out and performed checks from the path to make sure you can't see in but for extra procuration I've got indoor plants as well 🤣🤣

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KeremyJyles@reddit

Amazed how universal the agreement is. I find it creepy and never have the urge to do it myself.

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reo_reborn@reddit (OP)

lol and you're most likely right! I don't set out to do it but..my eyes seem to be drawn to it.

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WastelandOfConfusion@reddit

This is good. It creates a sense of community, which is severely lacking at times.

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Wd91@reddit

I'm the same, and its not just houses. I have no idea how people can just walk past other people without even glancing at them. Aren't you all curious?

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skatemoose@reddit

Not really that interesting to me tbh

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evidencednb@reddit

No

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CranberryCheese1997@reddit

If I'm walking and there's a bright light I'll subconsciously find myself glancing towards a light, but I never purposely look into people's houses. I'm also usually wearing a tracksuit when walking my dog, and I imagine me looking into people's houses would likely be taken far less innocently if we were to stereotype over my appearance.

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Negative-Associate38@reddit

That's why you should never put The Big Light on.

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bez_lightyear@reddit

I worked at a place where one of the employees - a woman in her 60s - would hoover her 1st floor flat topless & with the blinds open. The bus drivers in the adjacent bus depot up the hill put in a complaint as her jubblies were always at eye level when they were picking up passengers.

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DustInTheMachine@reddit

I do and always have done. I'm now a professional cleaner and have found the insides are never as exciting or inticing once you're in there, if that makes sense . Looking in is more interesting as you get to make up a story - is it cosy, are they nice people, what did they have for dinner etc 😂

My favourite day to do it is Christmas Day evening, seeing all the different celebrations going on - always makes me feel warm and fuzzy.

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Madsaxmcginn@reddit

There's a guy in my street, no matter the time of day, no matter the day of the year, when we walk past, he's in his front room topless. Must be bloody boiling.

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Rjc1471@reddit

Do people ever think it's creepy to make a point of looking in?

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Madsaxmcginn@reddit

Well we try to be inconspicuous and haven't been chased yet!

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Rjc1471@reddit

Great! I'm not sure a voyeur could use that as a legal defence

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Sufficient-Low5771@reddit

Yeah well if someone is crying on their couch obviously going through some shit, stopping and staring is just an absolute dickhead thing to do, I don't mind if you are taking a glance at my well thought out art work and speaker positioning.

But stopping and doing that is crossing a line, I bet they rubber neck at car crashes and cause more accidents themselves.

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Sufficient-Low5771@reddit

I live on the Thames and the path goes by my house, people are fuckin rude... I don't mind a glance but when I'm trying to have a wank and they stare it really puts me off.

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reo_reborn@reddit (OP)

Lol! See, that's the type of reason I enjoy looking into houses. To see weird stuff like that!

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Turbulent_Brief_2813@reddit

I am an "accidental house watcher", out of sheer British awkwardness. My dog loves sniffing car tyres, presumably to learn where all our neighbours go during the day when they have the audacity to leave their homes and not be available to give her tickles and pets when she encounters them. This means I often end up spending several minutes standing next to a neighbour's car.

At first I would just watch the dog, but that made me paranoid that anybody glancing out of their window would think I was casing their car or checking for unlocked doors. So then I started making pronounced, overly-dramatic head movements so it looked like, "hey, I'm just being aware of my surroundings", which I realised probably made me look even more suspicious. So now I end up peering through windows, holding the dog lead up in a "hey, I am powerless against her schedule" gesture, and mentally noting what they are watching, and seeing if they have made any layout or decor changes that I may want to take inspiration from.

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IkeTurn@reddit

We have net curtains so not easy to see what we're doing.

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worldworn@reddit

No, I find it weird.

I used to live on a quiet road that suddenly became popular to dog walkers.
They were never subtle, gawking in the whole time.
Instead of a view of nature, i had to start closing my curtains as it was creeping out my sister.

I appreciate it might be tempting to take a look, but staring, watching their TV.
It's just odd.

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its_bydesign@reddit

I’m exactly the same 😂

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Jerico_Hill@reddit

I'm extremely nosey. If I take the bus and there's a top deck, I'll sit there because you get a much better view of the second story. I am why I won't have my curtains open at night.

You wouldn't believe the things you see.

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KatVanWall@reddit

I’m a nosey bugger but I typically use Rightmove for that! There’s a ‘sold house prices’ section that gives you access to past listings, just saying … Sometimes I like to go and check out houses that used to belong to people I knew 🥹

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reo_reborn@reddit (OP)

My ex-mother in law used to go for viewings on her neighbours houses just to nose using her sisters name and address (She lived in the next town over). This was before rightmove though!

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Even-Way9768@reddit

Zoopla is even better for this as you can see all past listings, not just the latest like on Rightmove. It's cool seeing just how much they can change!

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DataPaws@reddit

Do I have to have a dog with me? Cause I do sometimes, but often I just walk alone...

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reo_reborn@reddit (OP)

Not at all! A dogs just a good excuse to go out at night for a nose lol! Similar to how dogging started i guess :|

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cold_tap_hot_brew@reddit

It’s instinctive.

They know it though and choose to do it.

I feel so on display in some folks houses. Sitting in an illuminated room on a dark night with no blinds or curtains drawn.

Ive asked folk and they say stuff like “let them”

One person i knew seemed to derive pleasure from it. She would sit on her sofa like a sprawled cat as busses were stopped at a popular bus stop right outside her large livngroom window.

Folk would literally stare in at her and shed act like she didn’t notice. She noticed.

So now i purposefully don’t even glance in these types of windows because it’s probably giving some weirdo a thrill.

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reo_reborn@reddit (OP)

lol i couldn't do that. We have a smallish window in a very quiet end of the road and I still pull the curtains as soon as the light starts to die!

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insulartomb@reddit

I’ll never forget a conversation I overheard on the top deck of a bus on Upper St in London -

Dad: You see those people in their flat?

Daughter (7yo-ish): Yes…?

Dad: That’s why you always shut the curtains when it’s dark.

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ltcmdrjo@reddit

(Scotland)(I don't know why that's relevant, haha.) If it is dark outside, and you hae your ground floor big light on, I can't really avoid looking. I always find it fascinating seeing what people do with their living room, and what the decor is. How people use it.

Not seen anything naughty yet. I did once see someone in their underwear jumping up and down on the sofa jamming out on an electric guitar.

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reo_reborn@reddit (OP)

lol I'd only put England because i originally posted it on the dog subreddit but it was removed due to not being a member for long enough it asked if I wanted to crosspost it to here and I forgot to remove it lol

I think seeing somebody in boxers playing airguitar is better than something naughty tbh! lol!

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GuelderRoseFruit@reddit

Yup. Me too. Right nosey fucker here lol

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reo_reborn@reddit (OP)

lol!! glad im not aline!

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BroodingSonata@reddit

I used to live around the corner from The Bishops Avenue (known as Billionaires Row). I'd sometimes walk my dog down it and look at the mega mansions, Obviously they were too big and set back to actually see inside or anything, but it was fun to at these vast properties at a slower pace than if I were driving by.

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c0tch@reddit

When I’m vaping out my window I always try to spot what my neighbour over the road is watching on tv

Never recognised anything though it’s a boring game

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reo_reborn@reddit (OP)

The only tv I ever recognise is Eastenders/Corrie tbh! Anything else just goes over my head.

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c0tch@reddit

It seems like normally it’s a police type of show. One day I will win but it’s hard when you don’t watch live tv yourself 🤣

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Feral-Sponge@reddit

Oh yeah, 100%. I'm from Sweden originally and closing curtains at night was never a thing. When I moved to London and rented rooms I just couldn't understand why housemates etc would ask why I haven't pulled the living room curtains if I was the only one at home in the evening.

I will absolutely have a look inside as I'm walking past. And yeah, I will judge the householder on their decor etc because it's fun

One house near us that we walk past all the time has their living room absolutely full of books. I kind of want to stop and stare properly but that would be rude.

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Spiralforeverafter@reddit

I don’t do this that often, only if something literally catches my eye. BUT I am living in a “watched” house. We have huge bay windows with curtains that are stuck on the pole so cannot close them, they’re really high up to get to and replacing them and the rod will be expensive/ can’t be bothered. We have cats who sit at the window. Everyone that walks past first looks at the cats, then in at the living room and then finally at me sat on the sofa opposite as we awkwardly make eye contact.

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Glum-Figure9799@reddit

The funny part is that people often pretend they never look, yet somehow everyone knows which neighbor has the giant TV, who is always rearranging furniture, and which house seems to be permanently watching crime dramas.

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NoisyGog@reddit

I wouldn’t say I have a “nose”, but as almost all people, I absent mindedly just look around.
We live next to a busy village shop, and people would do the same, just casually look into the living room whilst cueing for the shop, or on the way to/from it - it’s why we moved the living room to the first floor.

What I keep noticing in houses whilst I’m on an evening walk is televisions waaaay too high.

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No_Atmosphere8146@reddit

I don't know how people can live with the curtains open and the big light on. It's like you're just exhibiting yourself in some goddawful museum of human suffering.

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Baaaaaah-baaaaaah@reddit

I check out the houses and my dog tries to get into every car that has an open door

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parasoralophus@reddit

I also sometimes pop into people's houses if doors are unlocked and just snoop around. Totally normal.

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Pewpew-OuttaMyWaay@reddit

My family home had glass sliding doors with window tint .. at night you could see right through the lounge and dining area. On a street with lots of dog walkers/exercisers/etc. Never thought twice until a friend came to pick me up and said “oh look, u can see that family having dinner” when she drove past .. then realised it was my house 🥴

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R35TfromTheBunker@reddit

I have noticed people doing this where I live, so now we have a life sized medical education skeleton in the window and we rotate a selection of Black series Star Wars helmets for it to wear in various poses. Makes it feel less like we are being stared at ourselves when people go past at least.

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DB-DanCooper@reddit

Me, I am casing places.

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Eastern-Leopard-2866@reddit

i have done this from childhood haha

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trainpk85@reddit

We have a street a few down from us and most of them have big balconies with posh garden furniture but they are lovely houses. In the winter I like to walk the dog and look through their windows but in the summer I go a different way because I feel like they are all watching me from up on their balcony.

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Purple-Om@reddit

I like to watch the ones with the pampas grass.

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Pure_Pollution_9823@reddit

With a pineapple on the step too? ;-)

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No-Way-9777@reddit

What's the point of going for a walk if it wasn't about being nosey? And judgemental 🤣

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reo_reborn@reddit (OP)

EXACTLY!!! lol! also, if you don't want me nosing and judging pull your curtains! lol

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pajamakitten@reddit

I suspect almost everyone does it. It is fun to make up stories in your head about other people you know nothing about.

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atomic_mermaid@reddit

I don't even have to have the dog with me, I'll have a nosey whenever wherever.

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reo_reborn@reddit (OP)

tbf! When im walking to the bus in the morning I do it too! lol

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SavingsFeature504@reddit

Yep. Not even when walking the dog. Just in general I'm a watcher.

I can also tell you which houses in my area have security cameras and which don't 🤣🤣🤣

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Large_Island3199@reddit

Odd

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Effective-Design2378@reddit

Oh yeah, I do that too. I like to see how other people have their houses.

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Phantom_Crush@reddit

Used to see thisnone house all the time that was crazy. The living rooms are long and pretty narrow and way up above the fireplace on the long wall is a TV that must be at least 80 inches. Be lucky if the couch is 10 feet away from it. Those people must have the sorest necks...

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Serious-Big2@reddit

Yep, I am always looking into other people's homes.

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Fantastic_Back3191@reddit

I love walking at night when you get to see so much more.

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_dhunterb_@reddit

I think naturally the human eye is attracted to bright light in a dark setting, so especially walking in the dark at night your eye is guided to bright windows. Always super awkward when you catch eyes either someone in the house lol😂 I can’t help it either

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If I see a house for sale, I also look at it on Rightmove later

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